Vibrator toy gun



June 18, 1963 J. w. RYAN VIBRATOR Toy GUN 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 18, 1958 ww w w mw l A E A sq RNW) wm SN INVENTOR. JO//V PV. @V0/V 5y A TTORNE Y @Z4/Uf 777, M97

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June 18, 1963 J. w. RYAN 3,094,110

VIBRATOR TOY GUN Original Filed March 18, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTOR/VEV June 18, 1963 J. w. RYAN VIBRATOR Toy GUN 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed March 18, 1958 INVENTOR. J/A/ M @VQ/V By ATTRNEY 74x #lf/7^? United States Patent Oli ice 3,094,110 Patented June 18, 1963 3,094,110 VIBRATDR TOY GUN .lohn W. Ryan, Bel-Air, Calif., assignor to Mattel, Inc. Original application Mar. 18, 1958, Ser. No. 722,239, now Patent No. 3,057,114, dated Oct. 9, 1962. Divided and this application Jan. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 83,075

8 Claims. (Cl. 124-2) This invention relates to a toy made to simulate a gun, and more particularly an automatic gun, such as an automatic rifle or portable machine gun.

This application is a division of my co-pending applica- Vtion entitled"Vibrator Toy Gun, Serial No. 722,239,

filed March 18, 1958, now Patent No. 3,057,114, which is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 646,- 834, filed March 18, 1957, now United States Patent No. 2,892,289.

Stated in general terms, my invention comprehends the provision of a toy gun containing a mechanism comprising a rack means together with an operatively associated rocker means wherein linear motion of the former is converted into oscillating movement of the latter. Clapper means, cap tiring means, missile expelling means, or other means, individually or in combination, are operatively associated with the rocker means. Power means, such as resilient power spring means, for example, are included to impart linear movement to the rack means. This mechanism is suitably housed in a frame means simulating a gun, preferably of the automatic rie or portable machine gun type.

It is an object of my invention to provide a toy gun of ecient design and simple operation so that .a relatively young child can play with it.

Another object is to provide a toy gun of rugged and durable construction, including a minimum number of parts, which is capable of economical mass production.

A further object is to provide such a gun which will dramatically simulate its prototype, and will at the same time be perfectly safe for a child and his companions in all sorts of play.

More specifically, it is an object to provide oscillating rack driven means in the gun including such oscillating means in a barrel part of the gun.

A further object is to utilize the oscillating means in the barrel part of the gun to fire or expel missiles.

Additional objects will become apparent from the following description.

A more detailed description of specific embodiments of my invention is given with reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view in section showing one embodiment of the toy gun mechanism;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a partial perspective view showing the toy gun mechanism of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a partial side elevational view with portions broken away taken as along line 5-5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 5, but showing the mechanism in a cooking position; and

FIGURE 7 is a view showing still another embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG- URES l to 6, inclusive, of the drawings, a rack 10 having a straight edge 11 on its upper side and teeth 12 on its lower side is slidably disposed between an upper guide strip 13 and lower guide strips 14 and 15, as well as between two guide strips 16 and 17. The guide strips 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 form a guide slot wherein the rack 10 is slidably longitudinally. The rear lower guide member 14 extends only part way along the slot and the front lower guide member 15 also extends only part way. A cocking knob 18, designed for convenient grasping by the fingers, is fixed to the rear portion of the rack 10.

The assembled guide members and rack are mounted in portions of a toy gun frame 19 simulating a gun barrel 21 and receiver 22. The housing 19 also comprises a hand grip 23 and a magazine 24, The housing 19 preferably is made of two half portions 19a and 19b which can conveniently be fitted together after the gun mechanism is mounted therein, as shown. A pair of side strips 26 and 27 preferably are mounted inside the barrel 21 and receiver 22 to reinforce the same.

The rear end of receiver 22 is preferably closed and contains a reinforcing block 28. A pin 29 is mounted transversely in the rear portion of receiver 22 to serve as a stop for the rack 10. The rack 10 is provided with a notch 31 to strike against the pin 29 when the rack is pulled backward in the cooking action to be described. The forward end of the barrel 21 is provided with an aperture 32 for insertion or removal of the rack 10. A pin 33 is mounted transversely in the barrel 21 near the forward end thereof. A coil spring 34 serves as the power means for imparting linear motion forcefully to the rack 10. The forward end of the spring 34 is mounted on pin 33 and the rearward end is mounted on a shank 36 of cocking knob 18 between the rack 10 and the knob 18.

A rocker 37 is associated in operative relationship with the rack 10 so that linear motion of the rack imparts a rocking or oscillating motion to the rocker 37. The rocker 37 comprises a beam 38 having an upwardly extending tooth 39 on one end thereof; and another upwardly extending tooth 41 on the other end thereof. Each of the teeth 39 and 41 is adapted to tit between a pair of adjacent teeth 12 extending downwardly from rack 10 as best shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. Fastened to beam 38 is a resilient or springy clapper actuator 42. Also fastened to beam 38 is a rocker support 43. A pivot pin 44 is fixed transversely in an upward extension 46 of the rocker support 43.

The pin 44 extends transversely through a downwardly extending arcuate slot 47 cut through the side wall of the toy gun housing 19 at the rear of barrel 21. The slot 47 is positioned and dimensioned so that when the pin 44 is in the upward end of the slot, as shown in FIGURE 5, teeth 39 and 41 of the rocker 37 are in operative position with respect to the teeth 12 of the rack 10. As best shown in FIGURE 6, when the pin 44 is lowered in the slot 47, the teeth 39 and 41 are removed from operative position with respect to the teeth 12 of the rack. As shown in FIGURE 4, a head 49 is formed on the outer end of pin 44 to retain the pin in the slot 47.

On a forward extension 51 of the rocker support 43, bent at right angles thereto, is attached the upper end 52 of a spring mass member 53 having a mass 54 fastened to the lower end thereof. The spring mass member 53 is made to impart inertial force to the rocker 37 so that a desired frequency of oscillation will be imparted to the rocking motion as the rack 10 is impelled from a rearward position in receiver 22 to a forward position in barrel 21 by tension in coil spring 34.

A rearwardly extending portion 56 of rocker 37 is pointed to fit into a notch 57 cut in the upper end of trigger 58. The notch 57 is cut at a cooperating angle similar to that of the point on the rearward extension 56 so that the trigger will tightly engage the rearward extension 56 and stop any rocking motion of the rocker 37 when the trigger 58 is in a forward position as urged under the tension in a loaded spring 59 mounted on a pivot point 61. The spring 59 is normally loaded with one end thereof bearing against the bottom of grip 23 and the other end thereof bent transversely and bearing against the backside of trigger 58, as shown in FIG- URE l. v

An arcuate portion 62 of the trigger 58, formed on the forward side thereof, extends through a slot cut in theY forward end of the grip 23, near the top thereof. When the trigger 58 is urged rearwardly to the position shown in phantom in FIGURE 1, the rocker support 43 is disengaged at the rearward extension 56 thereof, and the beam 37 is set into ,a rocking or oscillating motion, as shown in phantom in FIGURE 1. When the pressure on trigger yS is again released by removing the finger from arcuate finger portion 62 thereof, the spring 59 again urges the trigger and notch 57 forward into engagement with the rearward portion 56 of the rocker support 43 to stop the rocking motion.

While the rocking motion is in progress, the clapper actuator 42, on its rearward swing, strikes the upper side of 1an angular member 50 of a spring clapper 60. The clapper 60 is secured as by riveting at its lower end to the rear wall or diaphragm `64 of magazine 24 as by a rivet 65. The lower end 55 of the clapper actuator 42 strikes the side of angular member 50, and because of the ilexibility of the clapper actuator 42, and the material in the angular member 50, the lower end 55 of the actuator slips over the upper angular surface of angle 50 and snaps behind the end 45 thereof, as best shown in phantom in FIGURE 1. During its forward swing, the lower end 55 of actuator 42 carries the angular member 50 forward part of the way through its forward swing because of its engagement with the end 45, as best shown in FIGURE 1. Because of the resilience of actuator 42, the end 55 thereof again slips free of the end 45 of the angular member 50.

vWhen the angular member 50 is released from the lower end 5'5 of the actuator 42, it snaps rearward sharply causing a resilient strip portion 63 of the clapper to strike resoundingly against the diaphragm 64 of the magazine 24. This lresults in the production of a sharp clap resembling the sound of a shot or an exploding cap. As the rocking motion of rocker 43 continues, this sharp clapping sound is repeated cyclically. These clapping sounds are produced in rapid successions as long as the trigger 58 is pressed into the grip 23. Each sound accompanies each cyclic movement of the rocker 37 until the rack is fully ldrawn forward, or until the trigger 5-8 is again released so that the spring 59 urges it to engage and hold the rearward extension 56 of rocker support 43 in notch 57.

To cock the gun, the cooking knob 18 is grasped between the fingers and pulled rearwardly. When the rear end of the rack 10 engages the pin 29, as shown in FIG- URE 1, the spring 34 is fully cocked. As a rearward pull is applied to rack 10, the teeth 12 of the rack engage the forward tooth 41 of the rocker 37 and urge the rocker backward against the trigger 58. In so doing, the pivot pin 44 of the rocker is caused to slide downward in slot 47, as best shown in FIGURE 6. This permits a free motion of the rack 10 rearward into the receiver 22 as force is applied to cooking pin 18 to pull it toward the rear of the gun. The gun is then cocked and ready for the initiation of a series of rapid tire sounds by pressing the curved portion 62 of the trigger 58 into the grip 23, as previously described.

The shank 36 of the cooking knob V18 extends through an elongate slot in the housing 19. The forward end of the slot and the trans-verse pin 33 at the forward end of bar-rel 21 serve as stops and prevent any possibility of the rack l10 shooting forward through the opening 32 in the front end of the barrel 21 when the cocking operation is being performed. This feature and the other features of the gun described above render it shaft for the operator and his comparisions in play.

Another embodiment of the invention isshown in FIG- 4 URE 7 as applied to a toy gun that iires pellets 87 through an opening 88 in the front end of a barrel S9. In this embodiment, the rack 91 is cocked by pulling rearwardly a cooking knob 92 extending through a longitudinal slot formed in the top of the receiver 90. A rod 95 is formed to extend forward from the front end of the rack 91 and to touch the rearmost pellet 87. The pellets are loaded into the gun barrel through an opening 1105 until a magazine 110 is filled with pellets and an additional pellet 87 is positioned for firing at the rear end of passage 120. The magazine 110 and passage 120 are joined by an inclined connecting passage v100.

A plucking member 93 is made to extend forwardly '5 from the front end of rocker 94. 'I'he outer end of the plucking member 93 preferably extends forwardly and upwardly as and for a releasable catch or plucker 96'. A leaf spring 97 is riveted to :the side of hand grip 98 p at 99. The spring 97 is provided with a slot 101 to receive the portion 96 of plucking member 93. Above the slot 101 is formed an 'angular portion 102 positioned so that the outer end 96 of the plucking member, when urged forwardly in the rocking cycle, slides over the I lower side of angular member 102 and through slot 101 to thus engage the spring 97.

` 103 also is snapped forwardly to cause a piston 104, at-

tached to the forward en-d of the rod, to snap forwardly and irnpel pellet -87 forcefully through the chamber 120 and out of the forward opening l88 of the barrel 89. The

upper end of spring 97 is disposed between flanges 106 and 107 so that the pist-on rod 103 will move back and forth `with a back and forth movement of the upper end of the spring 97.

A spring mass -108 is attached to the end of a resilient strip member 109 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the embodiment of FIGURES 1 through 6 described above. In this case, however, a hammer member 1-11 is formed on the mass 108. An anvil 112 is mounted at 113 to the bottom of the cartridge chamber i114 adjacent the hammer member 111 so that the hammer strikes the forward side or face of the anvil 112 when the mass 108 swings rearwardly under the rocking or oscillating action of the rocker 94.

Advancement of caps in lche strip 119 is accomplished through direct coupling to the rack 91, or by coupling to the rocker mechanism. In a simplified version of the latter, a flexible cap advancing member 116 extends down from the rocker 94. As the front end of the rocker 94 swings down and the mass 108 swings rearwardly, the front end 1-17 of the cap advancing member 116 engages behind an explosive charge 118 in a strip of caps in a roll `119. 'Ihe roll of caps 119 is mounted on a pin 121 fixed in the side wall of the ammunition chamber 114. As the hammer member 111 strikes the surface of the anvil 1.12, it discharges an explosive cap charge 11S. Before the hammer member 111 falls each time on the anvil L12, a fresh charge is moved into position for that firing operation by the cap advancing member 116.

It will be seen, therefore, .that the action of firing each explosive cap charge takes place simultaneously on the rearward swing of mass 108 with the rearward swing of the plucking member 93 when a pellet 87 is projected from the opening 88 by spring 97 slipping free from the flared end 96 of the pluoking member.

The present embodiment has the characteristics of the previous embodiment, additionally having the piston or plunger 104 which oscillates in a barrel part of the gun. This plunger may assist in regulating the rate of oscillation of the rocker and release of energy by the spring driving the rack. At the same time it is utilized to fire or expel the pellets or missiles 87.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures can be made therefrom within the scope of my invention. The invention is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent structure.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy gun comprising rack means, power means associated with the rack means for imparting linear motion thereto, rocker means operatively associated with the rack means for translating linear motion "of said rack means into oscillatory motion of said rocker means, sound means associated with said rocker means for converting the oscillatory motion of the rocker means into sound while being driven by said power means, actuator means associated lwith said rocker means, plunger means associated with said actuator means, and means whereby said plunger means is extended and retracted in a barrel part of the `gun by said actuator means when said rocker means is oscillated.

2. In a toy gun having a barrel portion, a longitudinally movable elongated rack in the barrel portion, power means in said barrel portion for moving said rack in one longitudinal direction, said ygun having a longitudinal slot in a side wall thereof, a handle extending through said slot for operating said longitudinally movable rack, means driven by said rack for converting said longitudinal movement into cyclical movement to operate a sound producing means Aconnected with and operated by said driven means, the improvements comprising means connected with said driven means to limit the rate of cyclical movement of said driven means and the rate of longitudinal movement of the rack, including reciprocable means in the barrel portion of said gun actu'atable by said driven means to impose a cyclical load on said power means.

3. In ya toy gun having a barrel portion and a portion simuiating a magazine, a longitudinally movable elongated rack disposed in the barrel portion, power means in said barrel portion for moving said rack in one longitudinal direction, means driven by said rack for converting said longitudinal movement into cyclical movement to operate a cyclical sound producing means connected with and driven by said driven means and disposed in said magazine portion, the improvements comprising means connected with said driven means to limit the rate of cyclical movement of said driven means and the rate of said longitudinal movement of said rack, including reciprocatory means in the barrel portion of the gun actuated by said driven means to impose a cyclical load on said power means.

4. A toy gun as in claim 2 wherein said reciprocable means in the barrel portion of the gun comprises plunger means for ejecting pellets `from the gun.

5. In a toy gun, a longitudinally movable elongated rack, power means moving said rack in one `longitudinal direction, sound producing means disposed in said gun, means driven by said rack for converting said longitudinal movement into cyclical movement of said sound producing means, the improvements comprising means conneoted with said driven means to limit the rate of said cyclical movement and the rate of longitudinal movement of said rack, said last mentioned means comprising reciprocatable means in the barrel portion of the said gun actuatable by said driven means to impose a cyclical load on said power means.

y6. A toy gun comprising rack means, power means associated with the rack means for imparting linear motion thereto, rocker means operatively associated with the rack means for translating linear motion of said rack means into oscillatory motion of said rocker means, sound means associated with said rocker means for converting the oscillatory motion of the rocker means into sound while being driven by said power means, actuator means associated with said rocker means, plunger means associated with said actuator means, and means whereby said plunger means is extended yand retracted in a barrel part of the gun by said actuator means when said rockerV means is oscillated, said plunger means including means for ejecting pellets from the gun.

7. A -toy gun comprising rack means, power means associated with the rack means for imparting linear motion thereto, rocker means operatively associated with the rack means for translating linear motion of said rack means into oscillatory motion of said rocker means, sound means associated with said rocker means for converting the oscillatory motion of the rocker means into sound while being driven by said power means, `actuator means associated with said rocker means, plunger means associated with said actuator means, and means whereby said plunger means is extended and retracted in a barrel part of the gun by said actuator means when said rocker means is oscillating, said plunger means including means for ejecting pellets from the gun, a magazine for pellets and means for `feeding them to be ejected by said plunger means.

8. A toy gun comprising rack means, power means associated with the rack means for imparting linear motion thereto, rocker means operatively associated with the rack means for translating linear motion of said rack means into oscillatory motion of said rocker means, sound means associated with said rocker means for converting the yoscillatory motion of the rocker means into sound while being driven by said power means, actuator means associated with said rocker means, plunger means associated with said actuator means, `and means whereby said plunger means is extended and retracted in a barrel part ofthe gun by said actuator means when said rocker means is oscillated, said sound means including hammer means connected to the rocker means, means for imparting oscillatory motion to the hammer means, anvil means mounted adjacent said hammer means to be struck by the hammer means as it oscillates, and explosive cap feeding means associated with the rocker means for feeding caps onto the Ianvil means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,863,438 Daspit June 14, 1932 2,446,698 Fujiwara Aug. 10, 1948 2,684,554 Sigg July 27, 1954 2,790,260 Douglas Apr. 30, 1957 2,836,167 Saito May 27, 1958 2,899,766 Staller Aug. 18, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 648,021 Great Britain Dec. 28, 1950 

8. A TOY GUN COMPRISING RACK MEANS, POWER MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RACK MEANS FOR IMPARTING LINEAR MOTION THERETO, ROCKER MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE RACK MEANS FOR TRANSLATING LINEAR MOTION OF SAID RACK MEANS INTO OSCILLATORY MOTION OF SAID ROCKER MEANS, SOUND MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ROCKER MEANS FOR CONVERTING THE OSCILLATORY MOTION OF THE ROCKER MEANS INTO SOUND WHILE BEING DRIVEN BY SAID POWER MEANS, ACTUATOR MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ROCKER MEANS, PLUNGER MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ACTUATOR MEANS, AND MEANS WHEREBY SAID PLUNGER MEANS IS EXTENDED AND RETRACTED IN A BARREL PART OF THE GUN BY SAID ACTUATOR MEANS WHEN SAID ROCKER MEANS IS OSCILLATED, SAID SOUND MEANS INCLUDING HAMMER MEANS CONNECTED TO THE ROCKER MEANS, MEANS FOR IMPARTING OSCILLATORY MOTION TO THE HAMMER MEANS, ANVIL MEANS MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID HAMMER MEANS TO BE STRUCK BY THE HAMMER MEANS AS IT OSCILLATES, AND EXPLOSIVE CAP FEEDING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ROCKER MEANS FOR FEEDING CAPS ONTO THE ANVIL MEANS. 